For those who believe God elects people for salvation based upon His foreknowledge of their positive response to the gospel.
What's your take on Ephesians 2:3, which says that the believers at Ephesus, prior to conversion, "were BY NATURE children of wrath, JUST AS THE OTHERS." (caps for emphasis) Does this contradict the popular idea that God elects those who are PREDISPOSED to respond favourably to the preaching of Christ ?
Also, the later verse 5 states that, "even when WE WERE DEAD IN TRESSPASSES, (God) MADE US ALIVE together with Christ" (caps & insert mine). So, if this deadness refers to a SPIRITUAL state, how could any sinner have it WITHIN HIMSELF to accept the gospel? For 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, "But the natural (i.e. spiritually dead, unregenerate) man DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Your sharings, please ?
Thanks in advance for all polite answers.
2007-07-29
05:18:58
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13 answers
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asked by
Carlito
3
in
Religion & Spirituality